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Theorys on dinosaur extinction
Theorys on dinosaur extinction
Theorys on dinosaur extinction
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Theories about the extinction of dinosaurs
One thing is for sure, dinosaurs don’t exist any longer. Now the question is, what happened to them? Did they all die? Did they all leave earth? Many theories have been put forward to explain the disappearance of this magnificent creatures. Some of the various theories proposed include;
The big bang theory
The big bang theory argues that the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs was as a result of an asteroid from space that crashed into earth some 66 million years ago resulting in a chain of event that led to the extinction this amazing creatures. This is the most widely accepted theory of the extinction of dinosaurs as it provides solid proves to back the argument that an asteroid from space was
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This was thought to must have been a major contributor to the declining number of dinosaurs on earth before the crash of the asteroid.
The hybrid theory proposed that prolonged volcanic eruption in India caused a decline in the number of dinosaur’s way before the asteroid crash occurred. This theory in essence accepts that the asteroid crash caused the total inhalation of the dinosaurs but argues that the heavy and prolonged volcanic eruption in India had a part to play in the gradual decline in the number of these creatures way back in time before the meteorites came.(National geographic new, February 11,
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Frederick proposed that the evolution of toxic plant and the inability of dinosaurs to associate certain plant taste with toxicity or danger already had their number drastically reducing before the asteroid came. “Learned taste aversion” is a defense mechanism animals learnt later on in evolution. It helps animal associate certain taste or consumption of food with danger such as feeling ill or even death.
He backed this hypothesis by proving that the first flowering plants called angiosperms were already in existence as they appeared in fossil record which dated way back before the asteroids came. Gallup claimed that this plant evolved and proliferated to produce toxic forms as a defense mechanism against the dinosaurs, but the dinosaurs continued feeding on them despite the illness and even death it caused. Gallup couldn’t prove for certain when these plants began to develop this toxicity or when they began to proliferate.
Although the asteroid ended the reign of the dinosaurs for good, but the “psychological deficit” of the dinosaurs which prevented them from associating certain taste or food with danger, caused a great declination in their numbers before the big bang.(University of Albany, April 4,
The possibility if a meteor strike as the cause of extinctions is discarded, something that most specialists agree on. There is no evidence of any meteor crater big enough or recent enough to be accountable for it; there are no “elements that are common extraterrestrially but less so on Earth, such as iridium, and no sign of a tsunami or other phenomena following the impact.” The extinctions where also very selective and occurred over a very long period of time. If a “one shot” catastrophe had been the cause it would have affected all species at the same time and in similar
The disaster theory, Gould claims, is an example of good science. It has testable evidence and has an impact on studies in other fields of science, it develops further and explains why the extinction of dinosaurs occurred simultaneously with other events. This theory suggests that a large comet hit the Earth sixty five million years ago, causing the cloud of dust to rise into the sky and to block sunlight. As a result, world temperatures went down significantly, the ice age bega...
...ories of why dinosaurs went extinct abound, and as there is no theory yet to be truly confirmed as the “right one”, my theory of dinosaur cannibalism is also purely anecdotal. The discovery of the cannibalistic Majungatholus atopus in Madagascar is an important scientific find because it confirms a long-standing theory of cannibalism among certain carnivorous dinosaurs. Behavioral patterns of extinct animals are difficult to establish; however, these bones give authentication to previous unfounded beliefs about the ancient feeding practices of some dinosaurs.
The ginkgo tree appeared on earth approximately 230 million years ago, which was before dinosaurs evolved. They were referred to as 'living fossils' by Charles Darwin. These trees are so hardy that one of them lived through the atomic blast that destroyed Hiroshima (Anonymous No. 2, 1997). This tree is one of the earth's two oldest trees, The members of the Ginkgoacae family grew in parts of what are now Australia, the British Isles, Greenland, China, Russia, northern Europe, Japan, South America, Africa, and in the United States during the Mesozoic Era. It later retreated to a small area in eastern China with the changes in the world climate. It is the only surviving tree of the ginkgo family (Corrigan, 1997).
A Norton Critical Edition, Second Edition ; ed. by Philip Appleman; copyright 1979, 1970 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Philip G. Fothergill, Historical Aspects of Organic Evolution, pub. 1953 by the Philosophical Library Inc., 15 East 40th Street, New York, NY.
He explores the theories that a rise in temperature could have made the reptiles of old infertile, or that the dinosaurs ate flowering plants that acted as drugs, causing the beasts to overdose. He goes on to examine a third theory, that of an asteroid hitting the earth and causing a cloud of smoke and dust to cover the sun, dropping temperatures and killing not only the dinosaurs, but much of the life that was present on the Earth at the time. Gould himself leans toward the last theory, citing evidence and research to back his point. All of this, he delivers with an air of humor, saying things such as “How can we possibly decide whether the hypothesis of testicular frying is right or wrong?” (par 21). While the theory of infertility of dinosaurs comes from the idea of rising heat, Gould’s wording here brings to mind a funny image rather than a worldwide epidemic. Using humor again, Gould says “If you talk just about asteroids, dust, and darkness, you simply tell stories no better and no more entertaining than fried testicles or terminal trips” (par 26). Not only does he cast aside the first two theories as useless frivolities, he sets the stage for proving why the asteroid theory is better, using humorous language to do so. A humorous essay such as Gould’s is fun to read, while keeping a basis in
So what killed the dinosaurs? Without having any background education in science it is hard for the general public to comprehend such matters and they rely on the knowledge of the scientists in this field. Although there has been much research on the subject nobody has come up with a conclusive answer. And we are left to read the countless articles, all having their own opinions as to the mass extinction. One such theory is that a shift in the solar system could have caused the mass destruction. According to an article published in Nature magazine,
We use dinosaurs to represent the changes in nature that have occurred throughout time. Studies found that although the “oldest rock did not show evidence of life, the progression of plant and animal life that changed in recognizable intervals, from ancient life, age of reptiles to the age of mammals” (Dino Nature Metaphor, slide 6), measured the age of the earth. When we think of dinosaurs in relation to nature, we think of that very powerful force that controls the cycle of life. Nature was able to yield such magnificent ferocious creatures that walked the earth and then take them back when they served nature’s purpose. Dinosaurs fit perfectly in nature’s constant
There has been a debate about what happened to the dinosaurs since they were discovered. There are many thoughts of what happened to the dinosaurs, the two main theories behind the extinction are scientific and religious. Proof for both theories do exist and debates between scientists are still going on to which one really happened. It is a mystery as much for Evolutionists as it is for Creationists about the extinction of the dinosaurs. The fossil record of dinosaurs was poorly know for a long period of time. During this time period was when the dinosaurs were thought to have gone extinct. The scientific reason for their extinction was that there was a giant asteroid that caused chain reaction and wiped out the dinosaurs. Some scientists say the dinosaur’s extinction came quickly. Evolutionists say the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. Creationists say that the dinosaurs weren’t able to survive the Earth after the flood. Both of the theories have supporting evidence and that is why there is an ongoing debate over what really happened to the dinosaurs. (WGBH Educational Foundation and Clear Blue Sky Productions, Inc. et al., 2001)
The dramatic changes in climate that resulted from this huge collision were too much for the dinosaurs. They were not able to survive. Another theory that could explain how the dinosaurs became extinct is volcanic activity. A huge increase in volcanic activity at around 65 millions years ago could have pumped so much ash into the air that it blocked out the sun killing the dinosaurs. Some scientists believe that there was a severe ice age.
This essay has therefore discussed the most popular classes of plant chemical defences, namely terpenes, phenolics, nitrogen-based defences and allelopathy. The effects of these defences on herbivores has also been touched on. Many of these compounds produced by plants have later been extracted by humans for use as insecticides. Compounds such as tannins are also used in the wine industry. These chemicals thus have a very strong economic influence.
seems like it happened so sudden, as geologic time goes, that almost all the dinosaurs
Several mass extinctions have occurred during the Earth’s history. The Cretaceous – Tertiary Boundary (K-T) Extinction caused the loss of at least three-quarters of all species known at that time including the dinosaurs. The cause of this mass extinction is a controversial subject among scientists but the fossil evidence of it’s occurrence is abundant.
The Jurassic period is known as one of the most interesting periods of time in earth’s history, mainly for the awe-inspiring creatures many of which have gone extinct, the most remarkable being the dinosaurs. Life in the ocean during this time was also extremely diversified and amazing for the creatures it beheld. The Jurassic occurred from 199.6 to 145.5 million years ago, following the Triassic Period and preceding the Cretaceous Period within the Mesozoic Era. The supercontinent of Pangea began to drift apart during this time. Right before the Jurassic period began, a major extinction event occurred wiping out much of the life on earth. The events that unfolded afterwards gave life to a new planet.
The most popular theory of dinosaur extinction, the asteroid theory, says that dinosaurs died out because of a single, giant asteroid. They say that the asteroid that struck the earth near the Gulf of Mexico went 43,000 mph and spanned six miles wide (Erdman). When it hit the Earth the asteroid it left an enormous crater that measured 24 miles deep and 125 miles wide (Erdman). Just the impact of the asteroid destroyed the forests and landscape of the majority of North America due to its massive shock wave (Erdman). Many species went extinct when the asteroid hit, these species include dinosaurs, ammonites (certain ocean dwelling creatures), pterosaurs, and some plant groups dinosaurs, ammonites (mollusks related to the octopus and the chambered nautilus), pterosaurs, and certain plant groups. Although devastating, the asteroid did not wipe out all of the animals on Earth, it didn’t exterminate fish, frogs, turtles, birds, mammals and croco...